


A Long, Rough Day

by RedShirtWriter34567



Category: Broadchurch, Masters of Sex
Genre: Crying, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Established Relationship, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-08
Updated: 2020-02-08
Packaged: 2021-02-28 06:02:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 845
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22608982
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RedShirtWriter34567/pseuds/RedShirtWriter34567
Summary: Alec comes home and comforts Bill after a long day.
Relationships: Alec Hardy/William Masters
Comments: 3
Kudos: 52





	A Long, Rough Day

Alec was instantly concerned when he saw Bill's car in the driveway when he got home. The last time he'd come home and found Bill already there, he'd been in the midst of a bad migraine. Alec parked his car, took his keys out of the ignition, and walked up to the front porch and through the door.

"Bill?" He called out, but the house was quiet. 

Alec placed his keys on the table, hung up his jacket, took off his tie, and walked further into the house. Bill wasn't in the living room or the kitchen, but Alec noticed that there were a few beer bottles missing from the fridge. 

"Bill, are you here?" he called, standing at the bottom of the stairs.

When there was no reply, Alec ran a hand through his hair. He chewed his lip anxiously. He walked down the hallway that led to the spare bedroom where Daisy occasionally stayed and where the door to the back porch was. As Alec approached, he heard a noise come from outside. He looked through the sliding glass door and saw Bill sitting at the small table on the porch, looking out into the distance. Alec pulled open the door and stepped out onto the porch.

"What are you doing out here?" he asked.

Bill didn't answer. didn't even turn around. He brought the bottle of beer he clutching in his right hand to his lips and took a deep drink. There were two other empty bottles on the table next to him. Alec raised an eyebrow at the alcohol. Bill wasn't a heavy drinker normally. The Scotsman pulled out the other chair and sat down.

"Bill, what's wrong?" he asked gently. "You know you can tell me."

Silence. A cool breeze ruffled the bushes nearby as Bill brought the beer to his mouth again. Alec waited patiently, arms crossed over his chest. Finally, Bill let out a deep, defeated sigh.

"A teenage girl came into the hospital today," he said, quietly. "She was in labor at only twenty-eight weeks. We took her into the delivery room, and she gave birth to a boy, but the cord was wrapped around his neck, and he wasn't breathing." Bill's voice caught. His grip on the bottle tightened. "I performed CPR on him for thirty minutes, but he died. I broke the news to his mother. The look on her face wasn't just sadness. It was hopelessness. She was discharged, but..." He stopped again. 

Alec reached a hand out across the table. Bill took it, releasing the death grip he had on the bottle and interlaced their fingers. He took a deep breath and continued.

"Later, an ambulance came by and two paramedics rushed in with her on the gurney. She was so upset over her baby's death that she tried to commit suicide. We pumped her stomach and found that she had taken a whole bottle of sleeping pills. She survived, but she ended up with brain damage because of the hypoxia."

"Christ, Bill," Alec said, squeezing his hand. "I'm so sorry."

Bill finally looked at him. His eyes were red and tired. Deep shadows showed underneath them. Alec stood up, urging Bill to do the same. His husband rose to his feet, a little off balance because of the alcohol. Alec pulled him into a hug. Bill let out a noise that was part sigh and part sob, clutching tightly to Alec as he pressed his face into his shoulder. Alec stroked his husband's hair and pressed a kiss to his temple.

"Let's go inside," he whispered.

Bill made a noise of affirmation. Alec took his hand again and pulled him gently through the open door into the house. He shut it behind them and took Bill upstairs to their room. They sat on the bed, Alec holding Bill against his chest while Bill's arms were wrapped around his waist.

"It's going to be alright, love," Alec said, rubbing his husband's back. "This is what makes you a good doctor, the fact that you care so deeply about what happens to them. Today was rough I know, but things will get better."

Bill pulled away and looked into Alec's face, into his deep brown eyes. "How do you know?"

"Because I've experienced days like this too," Alec replied, stroking a hand down Bill's arm. "I've had days where I wish I could've done more to help somebody, to prevent something from happening."

"How did you deal with it?" Bill asked. 

"Not very well," Alec admitted. "Course, you saw what a mess I was when we first met."

Bill chuckled. "Yes, I did. You were a mess."

Alec held up his hand, the gold ring on it catching the light. "And you married me anyway, so now I'm your mess."

"Yes, you are," Bill said. "But I love you anyway."

Alec smiled, and they shared a chaste kiss. When they pulled away, Bill touched his forehead to Alec's.

"Thank you," he said softly. "I love you."

Alec kissed his forehead. "I love you too."


End file.
